Busting Brain Myths
Written by: Selin Kucukcan (October 2, 2024)
Artist Credit: Robson Stannard
A “Neuromyth” is a misconception that comes from misinterpreting or misquoting brain research. In recent years, as the fascination with neuroscience continues to grow, so does the spread of neuromyths – misconceptions about how our brains work.
With growing desire to understand human behaviour and optimise wellbeing in the workplace, more people are turning to neuroscientific research to answer some important questions about productivity. While it is great to see this increased interest, it’s also led to a rise in beliefs that are not actually backed by science. Let’s dive into some of the most popular brain myths together by exploring the real science behind them!
Left Brain vs Right Brain
I’m sure many of us have heard that we are either ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ at some point in our lives. The claim that those who are ‘right brained’ are creative, intuitive and more free spirited, and ‘left-brained’ people are analytical, logical, and objective is a total myth. Although certain functions are lateralised, such as the right hemisphere having a higher association with spatial reasoning and the left hemisphere being more closely related to language, the idea that a person could be ‘right-brained’ or ‘left-brained’ is nothing but a misunderstanding of brain research!
The Mozart Effect
I used to spend hours listening to classical music while studying, thinking it would help me focus, make me smarter, and even get me better results in exams. This belief stems from a 1993 study that claimed listening to 10 minutes of a specific Mozart song make people better at spatial reasoning and added 8 to 9 points to their IQ. This led to decades of confusion about the effect of music (specifically classical) on the brain. It has since been found that there are no medical or cognitive benefits to listening to classical music, and it definitely doesn’t make us smarter! However, let’s not give music a bad name. There are many studies that show that listening to music increases dopamine activity in the brain regions associated with pleasure, reward and motor control, indicating that exposure to music can be medically beneficial to us in a variety of different ways. Personally, I stopped listening to music while studying as I found it to be distracting anyway, but there is nothing that sets me up for a better day than starting my morning with an upbeat playlist!
Learning Styles Theory – The Biggest Education Neuromyth!
The Learning style theory is the idea that people have a preferred way of learning, such as visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic, and that teaching should be personalised to match these preferences. However, despite decades of research showing no real evidence to support learning styles theory, it is still widely accepted and even taught in classrooms. Although there is actually no correlation between learning style and academic performance, this neuromyth just does not want to go away with 95% of trainee teachers agreeing to use Learning Styles in teaching! On a more positive note, there are several proven practices that help improve student outcomes effectively and increase productivity in learning, such as active learning. Active learning is the method of teaching which involves students in the learning process, such as group discussions, student presentations, role-play, experiments, arts-integration, play, and more. There are many benefits to using such activities where students think critically, collaborate and improve their creativity.
In Summary
As interest in neuroscience grows, so do these myths, especially in understanding behaviour and productivity. While common neuromyths have been debunked for lacking scientific support, they are still widely accepted in many settings. By separating fact from fiction, we can better understand how to nurture our brains for improved well-being, focus, and productivity in everyday life.